China 1945 Mengkiang Full Value OP 10¢ White Paper Block Mnh G516

Mengkiang Stamps

Mengkiang was established as an autonomous region of the Japanese Occupied areas of North China. It was the western contiguous state bordering Manchukuo. In 1938, the Japanese occupied areas of China were divided for postal purposes into North China, Mengkiang, Central China and South China. In 1941, Mengkiang (along with the other five districts of North China) issued the Small and Large Character overprints. In 1942, because of currency fluctuations, Mengkiang Issued Half-Value Surcharges. In June 1945, due to further fluctuations in currency, Mengkiang discontinued half value overprinted stamps and issued the full value overprints. Shortly after the full value overprints were issued the postal rates were revised and the full value overprints and the original two character overprints from 1941 were overprinted with two new characters at the bottom in Kalgan (the capital of Mengkiang). Therefore, you have the following stamps from Mengkiang: 

1. 1941-1942                Small Overprint (2 Characters)

2. 1941-1942                Large Overprint (2 Characters)

3. 1943-June 1945       Half Value Overprints (4 Characters)

4. June 1945                Full Value Overprints (2 Characters)

5. June 1945                Kalgan Overprints (4 Characters)

(Note that the Half Value were four entirely new characters. The full value overprints were two new characters at top (thinner font) and the Kalgan overprints were two new bottom characters on either the old Small and Large Two Character Overprints or on the full value overprints. )

The basic stamps are the older prewar stamps of China and the “New Peking Print” stamps issued by the Japanese which come in 4 different papers and various stages of gum (thick to thin to none). 

Scott numbers are a “summary” of the surcharges, without regard to papers or stages of production. The basic two character overprints are Scott # 2N1 to 2N56. The half value overprints are 2N57-2N93. And the Full Value overprints are 2N101-2N113.  The Kalgan overprints are 2N114-2N127. There are unlisted values which were produced in Mengkiang and could be used for postage. Used examples are scarce. The New Peking Print from Japan is noted and these have much coarser printing. The China Stamp Society, the Old Ma, and the 2010 Chan catalogue have listings according to overprint, paper and gum. 

The best background history of this interesting area of philately can be found at the website of globalsecurity dot org  and is entitled “Mengkukuo/Mengjiang.